Cooking With Gas

A bar and grill you thought was a garage

Photo: Kristen Farina

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f you’re fascinated by a car wreck, you’ll love Angry Ham’s Garage. It’s quite possibly the weirdest drinking-and-dining concept in the western suburbs, with an automotive theme, a connection to the Bruins (former Bruins brawler Lyndon “L.B.” Byers is an investor), a dubious starring role on national cable TV (it was the subject of the Spike TV series Bar Rescue), arcade games, and a bizarre combination of Italian, American, and Chinese food. There’s also live music and breakfast. Which turns out to make it a fun place to watch a game or take in a band. The place—and, yeah, it really is a former garage—is decorated with car parts, sports memorabilia, and large-screen TVs, and there are pool tables and karaoke nights. There’s even breakfast on the weekends. So while it might look from the outside like a place to get an oil change, on the inside it’s an unparalleled pit stop. Warne